The present inventions relate generally to a seatback entertainment system for use in a vehicle (e.g., automobiles such as cars, trucks, and the like; airplanes, boats, trains, busses, etc.). More specifically, the present inventions relate to a seatback entertainment display system having a high-mount arrangement that permits a wide range of adjustment intended to accommodate or adapt to repositioning of the seatback and headrest and to optimize a viewing angle for viewers in the vehicle. The seatback entertainment display system may also include a wide variety of other components such as a DVD player, speakers, lighting sources (e.g. ambient, task, reading, etc.), connectivity ports, headphone jack(s), auxiliary input(s), wireless transmitters/receivers, etc.
Seatback entertainment display systems for use with the seats of vehicles such as automobiles are generally known and typically include a display mounted or fixed in a portion of the seatback or a headrest portion of the seat back. However, such known displays for use in a seatbacks have certain disadvantages. For example, movement of the seatback (such as between a reclined position and an upright or fold-forward position tend to change the viewing angle of the display as observed by users (such as users seated in rear seats of the vehicle) to a less-than-optimum position.
Also, such known displays that are mounted into the seatback or headrest typically have an elevation that is determined by the elevation of the seatback or the headrest and the elevation tends to change if the elevation of the seat or the headrest is changed by an occupant of the seat. Further, the viewing angle of the known displays tends to be limited and not readily adaptable to occupants of various sizes that are viewing the display device (e.g. adults, children, etc.). By further way of example, the known seatback displays are generally not adjustable from side-to-side to enhance the viewing angle of rear seat viewers of the display that are sitting in an offset relationship from the display (such as a viewer sitting in the “middle” of a rear seat arrangement in a vehicle. Although some of the known rear seat display devices that are mounted in a seatback may provide some adjustment, such adjustment capabilities are generally limited and not satisfactory.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a seatback entertainment display system that overcomes the disadvantages of the known seatback displays. It would also be advantageous to provide a seatback entertainment display system having a “high mount” arrangement that is cantilevered from a top portion of the seatback behind a headrest of the seat. It would also be advantageous to provide a seatback entertainment display system that permits the display to be tilted forward and rearward. It would also be advantageous to provide a seatback entertainment display system that permits a display to be pivoted from side-to-side. It would also be advantageous to provide a seatback entertainment display system that permits the display device to translate vertically in an upwardly and downwardly manner. It would also be advantageous to provide a seatback entertainment display system that permits the display device to be tilted, pivoted or translated to accommodate or adapt to a desired viewing angle for a viewer, and in a manner that is generally independent of the adjustment range of the seatback and/or headrest by an occupant of the seat. It would also be advantageous to provide a seatback entertainment display system having components such as a DVD player, speakers, lighting sources (e.g. ambient, task, reading, etc.), connectivity ports, headphone jack(s), auxiliary input(s), wireless transmitters/receivers, etc. It would also be desirable to provide a seatback entertainment system that movably integrates a headrest and fixedly integrates a display device (with a movably display screen) onto a structure (e.g. a bracket, pair of rods, etc.) extending from the seatback frame.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a seatback entertainment display system for a vehicle having any one or more of these or other advantageous features.